Birthdays Come But Once a Year
by Scarlett88
Summary: A collection of birthdays for Elizabeth Draper, ranging from 1953-1964. Each chapter covers one birthday. Mad Men belongs to Matt Weiner and Lionsgate - I own nothing.
1. Chapter 1: August 1953

Betty Draper cradled the tiny lime green phone in her hands, twisting the cord around her fingers. With a spare hand she continued to fan herself to keep the bugs away from her tiny apartment in the heart of Manhattan. The lone open window in the corner brought her little pleasure for the long Indian Summer ahead of her.

"Daddy, I told you, Don and I are doing just fine." Taking in another deep breath, Betty shot a dirty look at the broken air conditioner in the next room. _Some help you are, _she glowered. "No, I am not lying, Daddy," she insisted, trying to keep a positive attitude for her father back home in Philadelphia. "Yes, I know that your offer to come home for the summer still stands, but Don's so busy with work there's no way we could get time off right now." Betty swatted a stray fly on the counter. "I am not going up East for three weeks without Don." Wiping a bead of sweat off her forehead, Betty continued her conversation. "Because he's my husband." She countered to fan herself with the tiny paper implement. "Well, it's sweet of you to be so worried, but the three of us are doing just fine." Betty rested her hand on her tiny tummy. _Haven't heard her complaining too much, _Betty thought to herself. _But I'm sure everything is nice and cool in there. _ Betty craned her neck upon hearing the familiar ring of the ice cream man right outside her window. "Daddy, I have to go, something came up. Give my love to Mother and William – I promise to call tomorrow." Placing the phone on the receiver, she grabbed some change from the piggy bank on the counter and bolted out the front door, hoping to catch some sweet relief.

Betty triumphantly handed the gentleman her coins, selecting a chocolate ice cream bar for herself, opting to eat it on her front stoop rather than go back up the stairs. _It's just as hot outside as it is inside, _she thought bitterly, waiting impatiently for evening to come. The sun would go down until morning, and her husband would finally come home from work.

Betty lifted her left hand, looking at her diamond ring glimmer in the afternoon sun. They had only been married for a few short months, and she still thought of herself as a young newlywed. So did her father, who had been persistent with his phone calls to the city – especially after finding out that he was expecting his first grandchild.

Betty closed her eyes for a moment, resting one hand on her stomach. She had told her roommates that she wanted to have one hundred children with Don, but she didn't imagine getting pregnant so soon after the honeymoon. Betty pivoted so that she could find the perfect spot to sun herself. It wasn't just the sun that was getting her down today; today she was officially one year older, making her exactly twenty-one years old. _An official grown up _was what her father called her when he sent her birthday wishes earlier that day, though he reminded her that she would always be his little princess. _I feel older enough, _Betty thought to herself. She had decided during her modeling years to attempt to push birthdays aside – in an effort to stay as young as possible. Don had playfully teased her about it earlier that morning, telling her that she was lucky to have married him before she became an old maid. Betty hadn't been able to see the humor in his joke, even if it was well-meaning.

Heading back into the house, Betty peeked into the small refrigerator in the corner to see what she would be serving for dinner. Pulling out a small frozen chicken, Betty sorted the ingredients in the kitchen. As she went through the motions of preparing another meal she wondered just what would await her the night of her birthday. She hadn't asked her husband for anything in particular that year; she knew how hard Don was working to provide for the both of them on his small salary at Heller Furs.

The sun finally began to fade for the evening, bringing an aura of coolness to the various inhabitants of the Manhattan neighborhood. Betty had opted to enjoy one of her borrowed library books on the front stoop once more, waving hello to neighbors as they passed by. She was close enough to check on dinner at a moment's notice, ensuring that Don would be satisfied when he returned.

Checking her wristwatch, Betty walked up the front door and pulled the chicken out of the oven. It was finally time to put on the finishing touches. Her mother had trained her to be a proper housewife, to learn how to cook and keep house for her husband, and Betty reveled in her little successes, hoping that her husband was as happy as she was.

Betty perked up hearing a familiar sound of footsteps coming up the front door. "Welcome home," Betty said with a pleasant smile, taking her husband's briefcase.

"Happy birthday," Don grinned, giving her a kiss on the mouth.

"Ssshhh, I was hoping to forget," she chided.

"Well I didn't want to forget to give you this," Don smirked, pulling a small black box from behind his back.

"Oh Don," Betty murmured, touching the black velvet exterior. Opening the box, Betty let out a tiny gasp as she pulled out a gold charm bracelet.

"They're all the rage in the city," Don said, lifting the bracelet out of the box and clasping it around Betty's right wrist. "You can get dozens of little charms and attach them to the bracelet – make quite a collection."

"I love it," Betty sighed, throwing her arms around her husband's neck. "I love you more," she whispered.

"I love you both more than that," Don added, resting his hand on her belly. "By this time next year, they'll be a beautiful little baby."

"She'll have your eyes," Betty said, pulling Don to the small dinner table.

"You're so sure it's a girl?" Don teased, lifting his fork.

"A mother knows these things," Betty said over her water glass.

"To the mother," Don said, toasting his wife, who readily raised her glass in celebration of her first few months of marriage and first baby on the way.


	2. Chapter 2: August 1954

Little Sally Draper crawled her away across the kitchen, nearly tripping her mother in the process. Betty stepped back to catch her breath, wincing at another kick from baby number two, who was growing bigger and bigger by the day. _This one is going to be a boy, _Betty thought to herself, struggling to sit down in the kitchen chair, her body spilling over the seat. Slamming her hand down on the table, she wiped another fly off her hand. The loud bang solicited a cry from Sally. "Ugh," Betty muttered, leaning down to pick up her little girl. "You are getting bigger every day," she commented, hoisting her on her hip. Burying her nose in the stray locks that were beginning to form, Betty let out a heavy sigh. It would be an understatement to say that things were not going according to plan for her and Don. While it was true that they were both surprised to have a baby in the picture so soon after the wedding, it was an even bigger surprise for Betty become pregnant once again a few short months later. Betty looked out the window, filled with a sense of longing. The apartment was the same size as last year, just more crowded, and hotter than ever before. _How did my mother handle being so pregnant over the summer, _Betty thought to herself. _I suppose summers in Philadelphia are cooler than summers in Manhattan. _She had found herself even more homesick after the traditional birthday call from home, with her father not so subtle hinting that she should be at their summer house on the Coast rather than sweating in the city by herself. Like last year, Betty explained to him that Don hadn't abandoned her alone, but was rather keeping long hours at the furrier to provide for their ever-growing family. Her father Gene ended the call by clicking his tongue, telling her once more that she could have married better. Betty ended the phone call with an unhappy click, wondering when her father would come around and realize that she loved her husband, and was still waiting on him to give his approval of their marriage after being together with Don for more than a year.

Betty placed little Sally in her tiny play pen, stealing a look at the fridge to see what she could scrounge up for dinner in a hurry. She was in mood to cook, or do any work for that matter on a day that seemed hotter than the sun. _Does Heller Furs have good air-conditioning, _she wondered, lingering in front of their tiny fridge that fit neatly in the corner of their kitchen area. She met Don at Heller Furs, while modeling for one of their fall lines of coats. Betty had been quickly taken with the young copywriter, who was not the least bit shy about asking her out. Though she initially said no – her mother had always encouraged her to play hard to get with men – he won her over a few weeks later with the very same fur that she had modeled for the company. Things moved very quickly after that point; a few short months of courting and Don had proposed to her at Christmas. Their marriage culminated in a beautiful spring wedding in Philadelphia, one of the highlights of the Main Line social scene.

Slamming the fridge shut, Betty wiped the sweat off the back of her neck. She no longer felt like the beautiful newlywed. Grabbing some bread out of the top pantry, Betty made the executive decision to have sandwiches for her husband, and nothing for herself. She would apologize for a poor dinner that night, and promise to make it up to him later.

Betty stepped into the living area, pleased to see that Sally was asleep in the play pen. Having dinner taken care of, she decided to take the afternoon for herself and attempt another late afternoon nap. Her forthcoming son was doing very little to help her sleep cycle, choosing to make his presence known at every available opportunity. Opening the window for a chance at stale air, Betty rested on her back – the only sleeping position that she felt comfortable with now. Closing her eyes, her mind drifted back to her early days as a model, fresh out of school and ready to explore the world for the first time.

* * *

"Hey." Don's strong, affirmative voice woke Betty from her well earned sleep. She let out a soft sigh, forcing herself to sit up in bed. Don sat down on his side, placing a kiss on the top of her forehead. "Happy Birthday."

Betty let out a heavier sigh, propping her head on a pillow. "Out of every birthday I've ever had, this one is my least favorite." Betty cast a glance down at her tummy. "I don't like being pregnant."

Don chuckled, squeezing her arm. "You're more than halfway there," he coaxed her. "Remember you said that this one is going to be a boy."

"Umm-hum," Betty murmured. "He'll be a football player just like his daddy."

Don coughed at Betty's latest theory about the new baby. "You think so?" he asked, trying to remember all of the past stories that he told Betty about his childhood, half of which proved to be false.

"He kicks like one," she reasoned. Betty sent an apologetic look to her husband. "I didn't get a chance to start dinner," she said meekly. "Sally took a long afternoon nap; I thought I could use one too."

"I'm not that hungry anyway," Don assured her, kicking off his shoes. "And a nap sounds great after a long day's work – if you don't mind the company."

"Not at all," Betty said, attempting to make room on the bed.

Don ducked down to the side of the bed. "I don't want to forget this." Don produced a large pink bag for his wife. "Happy Birthday."

Betty rummaged through the page and let out a happy gasp when she pulled out a large stuffed brown bear with a pink heart in the middle of its chest.

"For those days when you get lonely without me," he joked, pulling the covers over her body.

Betty mumbled a thank-you as she snuggled next to her husband, placing the bear on her other side. With any luck, Sally would continue her afternoon nap long enough for the rest of the Drapers to catch up on their much needed rest. As Betty closed her eyes once more, she was no longer dreaming of her short career as a model, but of her growing family with Don. She wondered if this child would be the last one, if they would stay in Manhattan indefinitely, or if they would indeed find the happy ending that she always wanted as a little girl.


	3. Chapter 3: August 1955

"Give my love to Mom," Betty said, twisting the phone cord around her slender fingers. With baby Bobby in her lap, and Sally walking around the apartment, Betty was more than occupied on her natal day. If it weren't for her father's faithful phone calls, Betty would have been inclined to forget the one day that was supposedly set aside just for her.

It had been a busy year for the Draper family. Betty had her second child, and Don had started a new job – leaving Heller Furs, the place that he and Betty had met a few short years earlier. Deciding to focus on his copywriting skills, Don traded furs for advertising, landing a job at one of New York's many advertising agencies, Sterling Cooper.

As a junior copywriter, Don had long hours with little pay, but the promise of something more if he did well at his job. Don enjoyed the fast pace Manhattan lifestyle, a whole new world for the one-time country boy.

"Yes Daddy, everything's fine over here," Betty promised her father as Sally began banging kitchen pots together. Placing Bobby on the floor, Betty scowled at her daughter, grabbing the kitchenware. Sally let out a disgruntled yelp as Betty stretched the phone into the other room. "There's always Labor Day," Betty said hopefully, reassuring her father that they would see each other again soon.

With a final goodbye, Betty hung up the phone in the kitchen, picking up Sally. "Mommy would love it if you were a musician who could take care of the family – but the kitchen is not the best place to start." Betty opted to place her in front of the little art easel, a gift from Grandpa Gene last Christmas. Ducking into the fridge, Betty pulled out the night's dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, carrots, and peach cobbler – a leftover meal provided by one of their neighbors Mrs. McKeever, who gave the Drapers dinner so that they could both enjoy themselves that night. Betty placed the turkey in the oven, reheating it for when Don returned. He had promised her that he would try to come home earlier than usual that night.

Betty fed Bobby his baby food first, tucking him into the nursery for the night. Betty fed Sally next, helping her eat bites of turkey and mashed potatoes. Both pairs of eyes lit up at the yellow headlights, indicating that Don had returned home from work.

"Daddy," Sally yelled, beating her mother by a full five seconds. Don scooped up his little girl in his arms.

"Hi ya, Salamander," Don greeted, giving his little girl a kiss on the forehead. "Happy Birthday," Don winked to Betty as he took Sally upstairs to bed.

Betty finished setting the dinner table as Don came back down. "How was work?" Betty asked.

"Dull," Don mumbled, pulling Betty in for a kiss. "I'd much rather be here with you."

Betty gestured for Don to sit. "You're here now, that's all that matters."

"Are you ready for your present?" Don asked, pulling an envelope out of his coat.

Betty nodded her head, a smile forming on her mouth. Betty slipped a newspaper clipping out of the envelope. "Don?" she asked curiously.

"We've been talking about moving out of Manhattan for some time."

Betty turned the newspaper over, her eyes widening at the house listings. "Can we really do this?" she stammered.

"My job at the ad firm is bringing in more money than I ever made at Heller Furs, and I went to the bank, and they were able to give us a loan."

"Oh Don," Betty screamed, covering her mouth to keep from waking the kids.

"We can start looking at homes this weekend." Don took her hands in his. "I promised you that I would take care of you and the kids for the rest of your lives – and I have every intention of keeping my word."

"I love you," Betty said, placing the paper on the table. She perched herself on Don's lap, rewarding him with a kiss.

"I love you more," Don challenged. "And we are going to love the new house, wherever it happens to be."

"I'd go anywhere as long as I'm with you," Betty murmured, resting her head on Don's shoulder.


	4. Chapter 4: August 1956

Elizabeth Draper lifted her second glass of red wine to her lips, ringing in another birthday – but this one had an aura of loneliness to it. Her father Gene made his traditional birthday call to her earlier that day, and the children were more than willing to celebrate with her during the day. The biggest difference was – Betty stole a furtive look at the clock to make sure – was that her husband wasn't with her. The grandfather clock in the living room rang out that it was 10 o'clock in the evening.

Betty walked through the house with her glass in her hand. She still couldn't believe that she lived in a country home with Don and the children for the past seven months. The house still seemed so big with two floors, three bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room, living room, den, and an office for Don. The idea seemed amazing several months ago, with Don and Betty both agreeing that raising the children in Manhattan would be less than ideal. The solution was to move the family to a suburban area as soon as possible – where the children could benefit from good schools, a backyard to play in, and a safe neighborhood to grow up in.

Betty sauntered back to the dining room, which had been meticulously decorated with an arrangement of flowers, candles, and a delicious chocolate cake in the middle. She had hoped that her husband would be home some time tonight to celebrate with her, as he had every year since their marriage. His five o'clock phone call, explaining that he was going to be working very late in the city dampened her birthday spirits, yet she tried not to show it over the phone. She knew that he was doing all of this for her, to provide for her and the children, and she didn't want to seem ungrateful to the man who was doing so much.

With a heavy sigh, Betty sliced a thick slice of cake for herself, taking lady like bites with her dessert fork. _He'll be here tomorrow, but it's not the same, _Betty thought to herself. She was quickly beginning to learn how lonely life in the suburbs could be, away from the constant hustle and bustle of the city, the shops, the restaurants, and the activity. She found a majority of the neighbors friendly enough, yet Betty still ached for the fast paced life that she had grown to love. The children occupied plenty of her time during the day, and she loved spending time with them, but it was never a substitute for adult contact.

Betty reached for the wine bottle, working her way on glass number three. The bottle would be one third empty by the time Don came home that night – if he ever came home that night at all. Betty pressed her fingers to her temples, recalling yet another less than complimentary conversation with her father over her choice in husband. Though he seemed pleased that his son-in-law was providing a 'proper home' for his little princess, he was unhappy with the fact that she was so far away.

Nursing what was her fourth glass of wine, Betty took a seat at the well-decorated dining room table, filled with plenty of food for two. The clock struck eleven, reminding Betty of her loneliness and what was going to be a broken promise. Resting her head in her hands, she was seeing for the first time the other side of her husband's success – where she would be alone with the kids while he kept his freedom in New York.

Betty was fast asleep when the front door unlocked and clicked shut behind her. Don Draper sauntered quietly into the room, well aware of the fact that it was close to midnight. What was going to be a simple planning session for a new client turned into a several hour marathon of ideas and recycled pieces of paper. _I'd rather be here with you, _Don thought to himself, examining his wife passed out in the chair. He didn't know whether to carry her up to bed or let her sleep it off. Don clicked his tongue as he took in the feast in front of him. He had promised her that he would be home tonight, and hated having to call to tell her differently, not even knowing when he was going to be home. Don spent plenty of nights away from the house – away from her, but he had promised to make the exception tonight – the one night of the year that was intended for her.

Don took a seat in the chair next to Betty, brushing his hand over her forehead. She looked more beautiful than ever before, if that was even possible. Don knew better than to remind Betty of her age, but he still saw the beautiful model that he fell in love with years earlier.

"Hmm," Betty moaned, feeling Don's touch on her body.

"Happy Birthday," Don whispered, kissing her hand.

"D-Don," Betty said sleepily, attempting to sit up. Don braced his hand at the small of her back. "How are you?" she asked softy.

"Sorry and exhausted," Don mused. "I can't believe you went to all of this work and I missed it."

"It was just dinner," Betty said, reaching for her wine glass.

"I told you that I would be home." Don took a bite of his now cold beef. "You know I would have chosen you tonight, right?"

Betty nodded her head. "The important thing is that you're here now," she said helpfully. "How was work?"

Don shook his head. "We can talk about work tomorrow – tonight we are celebrating your birthday."

Betty offered her husband a shy smile. "It's just another day," she said quietly.

Don lifted a package out of his briefcase. "Hopefully this will make it a little bit better."

Betty took the brown box from her husband and lifted the lid. "Don," Betty gasped, looking at a strand of pearls resting on blue velvet.

"I only wish they were real," Don said quietly, lifting the strand out of the box and placing it around her neck.

"They're perfect," Betty insisted.

"Next year they will be," Don assured her.

Betty placed a kiss on Don's mouth. "How can I ever thank-you?" she teased, nuzzling his neck.

Don whispered something into Betty's ear as he chased her up the stairs. There were a few minutes left to Betty's birthday, and they were going to spend it together, which is all they both really wanted.


End file.
